Operation: Help Neliel Score!
by Wired Speed
Summary: Friends stick by and support each other even if they're barely friends and their similarities end at having bad taste in men but hey still you have to be your amigo's wingman. Espada in High School AU
1. Day 1

I'm worried I wrote ulquiorra and to a lesser extend grimmy poorly idk ill work on it on further chapters. Also Its supposed to be the Nelliel you see from the flashbacks with nnoitora cause I assume that's what her base personality is. so she won't be screaming and clinging on to Ichigo in this... Yet

"Ichigo..."

"Neliel, this is really fucking pathetic."

"I didn't ask for your help, you can just leave."

"Whaaat? And miss the chance to mock you, now that'd be fucking stupid."

"Ulquiorra i'll never understand what you see in him."

"I could say the same regarding you and Kurosaki.

"Ohhh Ulquiorra, babe, that was a nice dig."

Grimmjow stops slouching against the school's fence, walks up and smirks. He wraps his arm around Ulquiorra and puts his face to close to his.

"Those snarks of yours are so precious~"

"Let go of me."

Grimmjow continues to leer at him.

"Make me."

Neliel sighs and walks away towards the direction of Ichigo, leaving the two to themselves. She keeps a respectable distance from him as he walks to his home. She walks with her eyes looking downward, only occasionally sneaking glimpses at him. As she does so, Neliel reflects on the mysterious Ichigo Kurosaki she has put her sights on.

The first time she noticed him was when she saw some kid get roughed up by a couple of thugs and Ichigo ran into the fray to help. He helped a stranger out with no hesitation. If the same happened to her she's sure Grimmjow and Ulquiorra would just sit back and watch. Probably even chide her for any injuries she took from some lowly punks. As such she was curious about a guy would stick their neck out for a stranger and found herself... pleased with what she saw.

She had spied on him for a while and what she saw an earnest guy who had a rough exterior but a soft interior, a contrast to all her 'friends' who were all rough. Honestly all of them save for Tier kinda hated her. She noodles on that for a bit and wondered if hanging with such a crowd made Ichigo, the heroic psuedo-delinquent with a heart of gold, so appealing. That since she's used to cold people that him being good at heart made him perfect for her. She wanted to experience that Ichigo firsthand.  
She was too deep in thought and wasn't paying attention so she walked when he stopped and subsequently bumps into Ichigo.

"So you're the one whose been stalking me."

Nelliel jerks her head up and sees him, sporting an inquisitive look. Seeing him face to face was quite different than admiring from afar. Nelliel was known around for being near as cold as her friends but now? In front of someone she's liking she felt that exterior breaking a little. Regardless she had to introduce herself while not looking like more of a fool.

"Uhm... Hello."

She bows slightly.

"My name is Nelliel."

"Hm, tell me Nel." He turns, no longer facing her. "Who put you up to this?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why have you been stalking me? Was it those guys from Morioh, or some other punks? Listen I don't know what they're holding over you, but I'll help you out."

"N-No that's not it."

He raises his eyebrow.

"Than what's up? Did I offend you or something, cause-"

Nelliel shakes her head, interrupting him.

"No, I just... you seemed interesting and I wanted to see if you we um could be friends?"

Truthfully that's not all Nelliel wanted to be but she wasn't ready to fully admit she wanted him romantically, especially with how disturbed she must look, stalking him. She was hoping he wouldn't be scared off and would at least consider it.

"Friends?" He scratches behind his head. "I don't know what you've seen or heard but i'm not rich and I'm not just be your hired muscle doing whatever you say-"

"No, I just honestly want to be your friend. If you'd allow me."

He shrugs.

"Sure why not, I have to head home now but we could hang out tomorrow. Sounds good?"

She gives him a small smile.

[]

"Definitely"

"Nelliel's got a boyfriend, Nelliel's got a boyfriend! And he's smells like shit~!"  
Nelliel glares at him and Grimmjow just smirks back. He stops sitting upside down on the couch and repositions himself right. When Ulquiorra and Grimmjow hears her success they had to bring her back to their crew's hang out to celebrate.

"Sooo when's the wedding, when's the mistress? Cuz I bet it'll be Tier. It's always the shit quiet ones."

Tier just sits calmly, refusing to baited by Grimmjow. She sips her glass of coffee cooly and then looks at Nelliel sitting next to her.

"Neliel, are you sure about this Ichigo? What makes you so sure about him?"

"He seems like a good guy, and I wont know if we truly click if I dont interact with him. Besides we hang out with Barragan so its not as if I could go much lower."

Tier nods her head but Grimmjow seeing two people get along desperately needs to interject.

"God you two are so damn dull. Two uptight ice queens that need to fucking get the pipe out your asses. I feel bad for Kuroshit for-"

"Stop interrogating people stronger than you Grimmjow, you know what they say about dogs with loud barks." Stark says from the bean bag chair he is being swallowed by."

Grimmjow grits his teeth at the memory Stark's refering to. "And i'm supposed to give a shit what /they/ say or you frankly?!"

Stark takes a long sip of his energy drink before responding. "Grimmy c'mon just relax before you scare off the only girls who'll hang out with us." He turns to Neliel. "Listen, I can barely care about getting up right now let alone Ich-whatever but I am willing to give you some pointers on how to seduce a guy."

Neliel furrows her brow. "And why should I listen to your advice?"

Stark barely listens, too busy looking out the corner of his eye at Grimmjow raving that he's the only one here who's successfully seduced a guy. He looks back to Neliel.

"Cause Tier couldn't seduce a paper bag and had to resort to shoujo nonsense to get her partners. And I'm the only straight guy you know who won't give you really shit advice. Me at my worst won't compare to the other guys."

Neliel sighs as Grimmjow steals Stark's can and hurls it out the window. Stark still unable to give a damn just sits there and pulls out his phone. Ulquiorra walks in from the another room, controller in hand and wearing a headset, and kicks his boyfriend in the back of the knee and Grimmjow topples on the floor. Tier keeps sipping her coffee while sliding a notepad to Neliel, listed with a 'behavior' and 'outfit' column. Neliel picks it up and starts thinking of ideas. Soon however she starts doodling. The chibi drawing slowly starts resembling a certain prickly student.

The poor s.o.b. doesn't know what he's in for tomorrow.


	2. Day 2, First Real Attempt

Neliel stands outside the school, one hand knotting the bottom of her uniform and the other gripping her bag. Her attempts to stay calm backfiring as she soon will meet up with Ichigo to hang out and hopefully make a good impression now that they're meeting on her terms.

After Grimmjow opened his mouth some more yesterday and Ulquiorra subsequently tossed him out of Harribel's apartment. The conversation continued into how Neliel could capture her crush's heart. Heck even Ulquiorra chimed in, although his plan of 'staking her claim' was shot down by all parties. Even if a small part of Neliel did like the sound of it. She was grateful for their help but ultimately decided to try to be herself and see what happens but still keeping in mind some pointers on what Stark and Harribel said. Though Harribel said she and Stark would be at her apartment at the ready in case she had to call them or talk afterwards.

Neliel tries to resist the urge to text Harribel when she hears a voice.

"Hey Nel, sorry I got caught up with something. I didn't keep you waiting too long did I?"

Neliel looks at Ichigo, him standing close to her, his bag over his shoulder and him looking back at her in a picture of relaxed cool she's been accustomed to when spying on him. The barest hint of a blush passes her cheek before she responds.

"No, I'm fine."

Ichigo nods his head.

"Well then lets get going."

Ichigo begins to walk away from the direction of the school to some destination and Neliel follows. Keeping her calm she tries to start a chat along the way.

"What was it that was keeping you?"

Ichigo shoulders slump a bit, he scratches the back of his head before responding.

"Agh just my idiot friend Keigo. He tried to rope me into hanging out today and I told him I couldn't 'cause I had plans. When he find out it was because I was going to hang out with a girl he reacted... Not well."

Neliel looks down at the sidewalk.

"Forgive me. I didn't know I would be driving a wedge between you two."

Ichigo waves her off.

"Oh its nothing, the guy overreacts to everything."

Neliel looks back up and frowns, feeling that something was off.

"Do you ...not enjoy being around him?"

Ichigo shakes his head.

"Don't get me wrong, he's an alright guy. Its just his quirks grate sometimes y'know?"

Neliel nods her head in agreement.

"Yes, I can relate. My ...friends are also a bit eccentric."

Neliel was initially worried on his dismissal of his friend Keigo. That maybe Ichigo was stringing him along and didn't care for him. But if anything it sounded more like he was like her, that he too struggled with his friends. Though she felt that Ichigo more likely had better relationships with them than she did with hers.

"So you do still care for him?"

"Hey I'm not that kinda guy who just ditches someone for annoying the sometimes. Hell he's willing enough to deal with me so its the least I can do in return."

He looks up a bit befuddled.

"I don't know its a little hard to explain. We may irritate each other but I guess thats just what you do with friends. What about you?"

Neliel ponders for a moment after deciding she was pleased with his answer. She remembers Stark's advice to not 'chat his hear off' and let him lead. Thinking its only fair to share a little about her too though, she does answer.

"Well me and my friends do have this one guy and he's... pretty rough around the edges."

Ichigo quirks an eyebrow.

"How so?"

"He has a natural talent of knowing what not to say and seems to enjoy exercising it at all times. I'm not a hundred percent sure how his boyfriend puts up with him. Though I have my theories."

"Like what?"

"Well the boyfriend rarely shows much emotion and is a bit quiet. Maybe thats how they click? That the two contrast into a complete pair."

Ichigo nods.

"I can see that working out." He scratches the back of his head sheepishly. "...Uh so I just realized I have no idea where we're heading."

The two stop in their tracks and Neliel tilts her to the side and speaks next.

"I though you had an idea?"

"I was hoping to come with something along the way."

"...Would you like to eat somewhere?"

He shrugs.

"Sure."

They continue walking now with an idea of what to do. Neliel give a small smile and nudges him with her shoulder.

"Do you have an idea of where to eat?"

Ichigo glares before responding sarcastically.

"Oh hah hah."

Neliel makes a small chuckle and eventually he sighs before smiling too. She closes her eyes for a moment.

'How long has it been since I've felt like this? Smiling with someone?'

Neliel's chilly exterior prevented making many friends at school and her current friends were all somewhat antagonistic towards each other. It felt as if a friendship of convenience ran throughout them. Only Tier, Stark and Zommari would talk to her semi regularly. Sometimes it could be weeks til she could speak with the others. But maybe Ichigo wouldn't be like that? Perhaps she found a friend, or something more?

"So this is the new guy eh?"

Neliel open hers eyes in shock. Her and Ichigo stopped in their place, his eyes narrowed. Nnoitora just sneers back at them.

"Ya miss me toots?"


	3. Day 2 Part 2

Nnoitira rolls his neck.

"What? No words for me huh-"

An arm comes out of the bushes and grabs Nnoitora. A yelp is heard before the sounds of muffled cries emit from the bushes as Neliel keeps walking as if nothing happened. Ichigo walks with her and jerks his thumb in Nnoitora's direction.

"Who the hell was that?"

"Just some idiot I know."

"Should we be concerned that it looks like he got kidnapped?"

"Not really."

Ichigo looks straight ahead.

"Okay then."

'What have I gotten into with this girl?'

[]

"D-Damn it Ulquiorra! L-Let me go!"

"I thought you were dead."

"What you miss m-me or somethin'?"

Ulquiorra lets him out of the chokehold and Nnoitora drops like a sack of potatoes. "Why aren't you dead?"

Nnoitora coughs a bit before getting back up. "W-What no hug, no 'hey what's up', no hey I- Hey get back here!"

Ulquiorra doesn't even look in his direction as he keeps walking away. "You exhaust me."

"You know what else is exhausting? Coming back from the dead!"

"I'll tell Neliel to throw a party will that satisfy you?"

"No! What the hell is she doing with that loser?!"

"Trying to gauge a relationship, possibly marriage down the line I presume."

"This is disgusting we have to do something about this."

"We aren't going to do anything. I am gonna play on my pc rig. You can go sabotage Neliel's chances if you feel like dealing with her, Halibel or Grimmjow."

"Since when has Grimmjow cared about anything other than winning and eating?"

"Since I changed him. He' now has enough manners to be brought to a dog show and at least place in top 8."

"Hn right on Ulqy."

Ulquiorra finally turns around.

"Flattery will only get you on Grimmjow's hit list. Now either you can come back and see if Barragan and Stark will forgive you and see if you can be let back in again or you can continue trying to follow someone who you don't even have affection for and just like being an ass toward."

Nnoitora rubs one of his shoulders before walking up to Ulquiorra and subsequently walking with him in the direction of Tier's pad.

"Since when do you swear?"

][

\Meanwhile 20 feet away on the other side of the street peeking through bushes\

"Huh Ichigo and her? I don't see it, I always thought he'd go for Isane

"I don't know if Ichigo's up for getting eviscerated anytime soon."

"Ugh if I wanted to hear two gossiping housewives I would- wait no I would never want to hear that. Who would?"

Renji turns to Hitsugaya. "What you don't see it either? Doesn't Isane flash him those looks all the damn time."

Ikkaku nods no. "Uh no that would me. The poor girl doesn't know I'm taken."

Hitsugaya stays laid down, looking at clouds. "Why do you two you even care about his love life anyway?"

Renji rolls his eyes. "Cuz I gotta money riding on this. Why else?"

"Ikkaku?"

Ikkaku shrugs. "Eh Yumichika just wanted the latest gossip."

"Then why couldn't he show up?"

"He's got an appointment at the salon."

Renji turns to Ikkaku. "Salon? I though he was there yesterday?"

"Yeah he was."

"Wait then-"

"You guys lost Ichigo again."

The two blink slowly and then jump through the bushes and look in all directions. They both turn to the other.

"Eh! He's gone!"

Ikkau jumps back into the bushes and then after a few seconds jumps back out holding Hitsugaya with one arm wrapped around his waist.

"Let's bounce Renji!"

][

"So wait you're telling me he smashed a bottle on your head and you actually flinched?" Neliel makes a small smile. "I find that hard to believe."

"Hey the guy was fighting dirty!"

"No, thats not it. I just assumed you could headbutt through a cement block so a bottle would be cake for you."

"Hey is that an insult?"

"No, take it as a compliment at how muscular you are." She leans over the tables and pinches a bicep.

"Ow hey!"

She smiles and before long he does to. She takes a sip of her soda before continuing the conversation.

"So what does Ichigo do when he's not fighting punks in the street."

He sighs. "Its not like I try to get into fights or anything. They just take one look at me and want to start something." He dips a fry into some ketchup and eats it. "Honestly... just the normal stuff. Not anything spectacular."

"Outside of driving someone's head into asphalt at least once a week?"

Ichigo cracks a grin. "Y'know Its odd most girls don't think too highly of a guy who gets into fights all the time."

Neliel looks away from his eyes. "I guess i'm just not like most. I've gotten into some fights myself so I can't judge."

"Really you? Miss top 8 in the school?"

Neliel pouts. "Don't push your luck. I could perform a super argentine backbreaker on you like that." She snaps her finger for emphasis.

Ichigo whistles. "Damn, how many tosses can you do?"

"My record is 3, its basically a glass ceiling at the point."

"I bet."

There's a lull in the conversation and the two eat their food. Neliel takes a bite of her burger and thinks over this ...date? A hangout between two acquaintances sounds much less exciting. Their outing started out a bit rocky but now there's more levity in the air. Neliel feels more free then she's ever had in a while.

'This is nice.'

The serene moment breaks as Ichigo checks his phone for the time. "Listen Nel its been great hanging out with you but I gotta bounce."

"Oh... Thats fine. Um could I get your number?"

They exchange numbers and bid farewell. Their first outing done. Neliel's heart won over.


End file.
